Taming the Screen Beast

Sarah McKibben

Mobile devices can be a constant source of distraction in classrooms, especially for teenagers. These strategies can help them self-regulate (and restore your sanity).

English teacher Djana Trofimoff has noticed that students at Belton High School in Missouri are always connected to their phones, yet they are increasingly "stressed and disconnected" in the classroom. Beyond being a distraction from learning, a preoccupation with texting and social media is affecting their ability to empathize with one another.

Students are failing to "notice nuances of change in their peers' behavior" that can be signs of distress, Trofimoff says. She hopes that banning cell phones is the way to bring students' minds back to the classroom—and their friends.